Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Some Newsy Notes frem Washington
What Congress Is D0ing-0ther
Matters.
Correspondence OF the Ledger,

"a a. AtShsiN
WASHINGTON, D.. c. Jan, 1.-THE
Forty-ninth is an industrious Con
gress, not withetanding the fact
that charges Of Incidence have been
heaped upon it, Ii is u real pity that
the country has to part with it so soon
and it is one of the worst faults of
our Legislative system that about the
time one Congress gets fairly down
to business, another steps in to its
place and wastes Il year or more in
getting a good start.
The most important Legislation of
the week, so far. is that creating a
Department of Agriculture and La
Dor, and that against the Mormons of
Utah. There will now be a Secretary
OF Agriculture, who will, of course,
be a Cabiret officer, il the Senate
agrees to this charge, aud it was vot-
ed for in the House of Representa-
tives by such Il large majority as to
leave little doubt of it's popularity.
Commissioner Coleman, the in
cubent under the new administration,
has, more than any Of his predeces-
sors succeeded in impressing upon
the pubic mind the importance of
this department and its capacity for
usefulness. The legislation just &C.
complished may be partly considered,
therefore, in the nature of a compli-
ment TO his efficient management,
and the President in looking about
for a new member of his Cabinet,
will have little difficulty in finding
the right nan
The passage OF The bill elevating
the Agriculture department TO execu-
tive Importance, was a very appro-
pirate celebration of the Farmers
Congress now IN session in Washing
tn, at the Agriculture department.
The farmers have been discussing the
proposed Interstate commerce bill,
so long pending in the Senate, and a
majority Of them favor Federal inter
ferance for the protection of the peo-
pie. A lively debate was provoked
relative to the long and short haul
section, and delegates from the North
and South were opposed TO each
other as to the policy which should
prevail. The debate took a very
wide range, but one sentiment was
uppermost with all, and hat was that
ah Interstate Commerce bill was a
national necessity.
week in Congress was that over the
nti-polygamy bill. Delegate Caine,
as the representative of the Mormons,
was attentively listened To first,
while he made a long argument in
be half of his people. He sketched
the settlement of Utah by the Nor
mons, depicted the persecution to
which they had been subjected, and
eulogized than for their industry, iu-
telligence and honesty. He appealed
to the House to consider we'll before
it assented to the propositions con-
tanned in the bill. He said religious
vas arrayed against the Nor
mons, political necessity, canthypoc-
risy, and all kindred Pecksniffianism
joined in the hue and cry. Baseless
calumnies, SANDER, and unmitigated
falsehoods were constantly dissent
mated through the platform, the pull
pit and the press, these mighty en-
gines for the manufacture of public
sentiment.
Mr.. CRANE insisted that time, the
corrector of all evils, would right
wrong, if wrong it we're; that the
first of the Eternal had already de-
clared that the last vestige of Nor
monism shall be swept away by the
peaceful progress of events if it is not
fit to survive. He closed with a plea
to the men WHO had freed the negro
slave from bondage, who loved liber-
ty and cherished the institutions of
our country that they would not con-
sigu his constituents to inhuman
slavery.
Representative Bennett, of North
Carolina, also believed that the Nor
mon problem would resolve itself;
would yield to patient treatment at
the hands of the American people.
The bill he said, did violence to the
basic principles of American govern
ment.
Others were drawn into the discus
sion, and Hon. Randolph Tucker, of
Virginia, closed the debate. He said
he did not care what a Mormon be-
lieved, but he must not put his belief
INTO acts that infringed the rights of
any other man. Polygamy vas a
crime by every state in Christendom.
Ever since Christ interpreted the
Judaic law and gave out Therefore
shall a man leave father and mother
and cleave unto his wife and they
twain"-"they twain"-and not a
whole bundle''-''ever since Christ
uttered that sentiment, all Christians
nations had adopted monogamy."
Letter List.